Yielding support for pens



No. 6|6,93I. Patented Jan. 3, I899. J. J; JONES. WELDING SUPPORT FOR PENS.

(Application filed Nov. 24, 1897.)

(No Mode'lL) Witnesses.

Inventor.

Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JAY JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

YIELDING SUPPORT FOR PENS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,931, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed November 24,1897. Serial No. 9,687. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN JAY JONES, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yielding Supports for Pens, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient elastic or yielding sup port for pens, writing-brushes, and the like, with the view of obviating the intense ner Vous strain incident to the protracted use of such instruments, which strain eventually causes in certain temperament-s the disease termed writers spasm or writers paralysis.

In writing with an ordinary steel or gold pen a very great nerve-tension is produced by the continuous balancing, so to say, of the pen, especially while forming the upward lines, from the moment the curve begins from the downward stroke, in that the pen must gradually be relieved of any pressure thereon as the line is modified from the down or shaded line to the upward hair-line. The third and fourth fingers, which constitute the rest, being cramped, are non-elastic and neoessarily brought under intense nervous strain in the efiort to harmonize with the elasticity of the forefinger and thumb.

My invention is constructed and arranged to effect automatically the raising of the point of the pen, &c., from the paper or underlying surface, thereby requiring an almost imperceptible pressure during the formation of the upward lines or strokes, as will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pen embodying my invention, the same being represented as in actual use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the elastic support as detached'from the pen. Figs. 3,

4, and 5 are views of modifications hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the device as applied to a brush.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein one form of the invention is illustrated, A indicates an ordinary writing-pen, B the holder therefor, and O the elastic support. This support comprises a thin elastic tongue 0, of metal or other suitable substance, provided with an appropriate clasp or clip 0, which is adapted to embrace the penholder. The tongue is slightly curved or inclined downwardlyfrom the clip toward the point of the pen, so that upon the application of the clip to the under side of the holder the tongue will lie beneath the pen in a manner to bear yieldingly upon the paper when the pen is held in the usual position for writing, and thereby tend to raise the pen-point slightly above the surface of the paper. Hence during the formation of the upward lines in writing an almost imperceptible pressure upon the pen will be required to overcome the elasticity of the tongue, and in consequence there will be obviated the nerve-tension heretofore caused by the necessity of a graded lifting of the pen, as above stated.

It will be obvious that by adjusting the clasp or clip longitudinally on the holder the tongue may be set toward or from the point of the pen, as convenience or necessity may require. It will also be obvious that inas= much as the essential feature of the invention resides in the elastic tongue or yielding mem-- ber various means of combining the same with the pen may be employed in lieu of the particular construction just described. Thus, for example, as represented in Fig. 3, the tongue may be formed on or secured to a sleeve that is designed to he slipped onto the penholder, or, as indicated in Fig. 4, the tongue maybe formed on or secured to the metallic socket of the holder, or, again, as indicated in Fig. 5, the tongue may be struck directly out of the body of the pen.

In Fig. 6 the invention is shown as applied to an ordinary writing-brush, A'representing the brush and C the elastic support.

I claim as my invention- 1. A support of the character described, consisting in the combination with a pen, brush, or like instrument, of an elastic or yielding member connected therewith and adapted to rest in operation upon the underlying surface and thereby effect automatically the raising of the instrument.

2. A support for pens, writing-brushes, and the like, said support comprising an elastic or yielding member extending beneath and adjacent to the point of the pen, &c., so as to rest in operation upon the underlying surface, substantially as described.

3. A support for pens, writing-brushes, and the like, said support comprising an elastic or yielding member extending beneath and adjacent to the point of the pen, &c., so as to rest in operation upon the underlying surface, and means for detachably securing the support in place, substantially as described.

4. A support for pens, writing-brushes, and the like, said support comprising an elastic or yielding member extending beneath and adjacent to the point of the pen, &c., so as to rest in operation upon the underlying surface, and means for adj ustably securing said member in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN JAY JONES. Vitnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, BENJAMIN I-I. BARR. 

